The babies spent their first night down at the allotment last night I was down there at 11pm terrified that something evil entity (or a rat, though im not sure how, we are completely rat proof - i hope!) had got them. Equally i was as terrified walking down to the allotment in the pitch black with my little led torch thinking 'please dont jump out on me jeepers creepers man!' but....they were fine! Poppy decided that she wasnt for going in the temporary house but she would lie in between the mesh and and the water holder so i put her in the house and she settled. It also meant i could see the ex batts in the big house. Babs is happily perching but Betty is sitting in the nest box, to be fair shes probably never perched before.
Anyway, i went down this morning and they were all up and happy, but ive modified the old house. ive cut the legs down so it will fit in the coop, and ive taken the front off the temporary house, this means i can lock the babies in at night until they get used to 'going to bed'
Betty hen had a right cob on and was bullying the chicks through the wire because she wanted to go in HER old house (the temp house) to lay an egg. In the end i just kept putting her in the big house and eventually she laid in the nest box in there.
Here's a picture of well, it could be a natter or probably bullying, it looks like they're all meeting the neighbours:
they are not ready for being let loose together yet